The Frisson of Pegasus
Like heroes who die young, automobile brands with mixed fortunes have always fascinated. In Pegaso’s hall of fame, the Z-102 Thrill, with 1953 coachwork by Touring, became a legend.
In February 1953, in New York, Fred Pittera launched his first World Motor Sports Show at Madison Square Garden, and it was an event certainly not to be missed. Somewhat like the luxury trade shows that flourish today where money flows, this exhibition of sports cars focused on exotic imports, and attracted many European manufacturers represented by their local agents. Even the modest Gordini workshop, on Boulevard Victor in Paris, made the journey.
The Pegaso brand — Pegasus, in English, representing the mythical flying horse — had a strong presence with, among others, its famous bright yellow 1952 Z-102 Cùpula, together with a more discreet Carrozzeria Touring-bodied Z-102 Spider, and its then-famous clear Plexiglas-bodied rolling demonstration chassis, shown in Paris in 1954. For all companies, visibility in New York — the flagship city of the richest market on the planet — was a
